Accounting for Taste

A wonderful, full-flavored pasta dish for vegetarians that even meat lovers will appreciate.

“A summer green bean is undoubtedly a thing of beauty, but it’s also short-lived. For those late-season or out-of-season green beans, forget blanching and slow-cook them into oblivion instead. Admittedly, the drab olive exterior is unfortunate, but don’t let looks fool you: The end result is disproportionately good—a silky bean with concentrated sweetness, no matter how tough or stringy it started out.” ~ Bon Appétit

The acidic tomatoes help the green beans retain their structure through the long cook, and a modest amount of lemon and cheese sharpen everything at the end. Think of this Italian classic as the summer counterpart to pasta e fagioli, the hearty soup featuring pasta and beans (often cannellini). It’s a hearty, vegetarian-friendly dish that’s easy on your wallet thanks to its reliance on a mix of seasonal produce and pantry staples. And if rent is due and the paycheck hasn’t cleared, make it with frozen green beans for an even more economical version.

Pasta e Fagioli

Servings: 4
Time: 55 min
Difficulty: easy
Print

Ingredients

1 medium white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, cloves separated, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 3/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
1 lb. green beans, trimmed, cut into 2″ pieces
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz. medium tube-shaped pasta, such as rigatoni, ziti, or penne
1 large lemon, zested, plus 1 tablespoon of juice
2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
Coarsely chopped mint and/or parsley and lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Cook 1 medium white or yellow onion, thinly sliced, 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, coarsely chopped, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 5–8 minutes.
Add 1 lb. green beans, trimmed, cut into 2″ pieces, one 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender enough to cut with a spoon and beads of oil appear on surface of sauce, 25–35 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. medium tube-shaped pasta (such as rigatoni or penne) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions (pasta will finish cooking in sauce). Drain, reserving about 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Add pasta to sauce along with zest of 1 large lemon, 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), and remaining 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring vigorously and adding up to ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce is silky and pasta is coated and al dente, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Transfer pasta to large bowl or platter and drizzle generously with oil. Top with coarsely chopped mint and/or parsley and more Parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Shilpa Uskokovic